syslogd(8)

NAME
     syslogd - log systems messages

SYNOPSIS
     syslogd [-f configfile] [-m markinterval] [-d]

DESCRIPTION
     Syslogd reads and logs messages into a set  of  files  described  by  the
     configuration  file  /etc/syslog.conf.   Each  message  is  one  line.  A
     message can contain a priority code, marked by a number in  angle  braces
     at  the beginning of the line.  Priorities are defined in <sys/syslog.h>.
     Syslogd reads from the named pipe /dev/daemonlog, from an Internet domain
     socket  specified  in /etc/services, and from the special device /dev/log
     (to read kernel messages).

     Syslogd configures when it starts up and whenever it  receives  a  hangup
     signal.  Lines in the configuration file have a selector to determine the
     message priorities to which the line applies and an action.   The  action
     field are separated from the selector by one or more tabs.

     Selectors are semicolon separated lists  of  priority  specifiers.   Each
     priority  has a facility describing the part of the system that generated
     the message, a dot, and a level indicating the severity of  the  message.
     Symbolic  names  may  be  used.  An asterisk selects all facilities.  All
     messages  of  the  specified  level  or  higher  (greater  severity)  are
     selected.   More  than  one  facility  may  be  selected  using commas to
     separate them.  For example:

          *.emerg;mail,daemon.crit

     Selects all facilities at  the  emerg  level  and  the  mail  and  daemon
     facilities at the crit level.

     Known facilities and levels recognized by syslogd  are  those  listed  in
     syslog(3) without the leading ``LOG_''.  The additional facility ``mark''
     has a message at priority LOG_INFO sent to it every 20 minutes (this  may
     be  changed with the -m flag).  The ``mark'' facility is not enabled by a
     facility field containing an asterisk.  The level ``none'' may be used to
     disable a particular facility.  For example,

          *.debug;mail.none

     Sends all messages except mail messages to the selected file.

     The second part of each line describes where the message is to be  logged
     if this line is selected.  There are four forms:

     o  A filename (beginning with a leading slash).  The file will be  opened
        in append mode.

     o  A hostname preceeded by an at sign  (``@'').   Selected  messages  are
        forwarded to the syslogd on the named host.

     o  A comma separated list of users.  Selected  messages  are  written  to
        those users if they are logged in.

     o  An asterisk.  Selected messages are written to all logged-in users.

     Blank lines and lines beginning with `#' are ignored.

     For example, the configuration file:

         kern,mark.debug        /dev/console
         *.notice;mail.info     /usr/spool/adm/syslog
         *.crit                 /usr/adm/critical
         kern.err               @ucbarpa
         *.emerg                *
         *.alert                eric,kridle
         *.alert;auth.warning   ralph

     logs all kernel messages and 20 minute marks onto the system console, all
     notice  (or  higher)  level  messages and all mail system messages except
     debug messages into the  file  /usr/spool/adm/syslog,  and  all  critical
     messages  into  /usr/adm/critical;  kernel  messages of error severity or
     higher are forwarded to ucbarpa.  All  users  will  be  informed  of  any
     emergency messages, the users ``eric'' and ``kridle'' will be informed of
     any alert messages, and the user ``ralph'' will be informed of any  alert
     message,  or  any  warning  message  (or  higher)  from the authorization
     system.

     The flags are:

     -f    Specify an alternate configuration file.

     -m    Select the number of minutes between mark messages.

     -d    Turn on debugging.

     Syslogd creates the file /var/run/syslog.pid, if possible,  containing  a
     single line with its process id.  This can be used to kill or reconfigure
     syslogd.

     To bring syslogd down, it should be sent a terminate  signal  (e.g.  kill
     `cat /var/run/syslog.pid`).

FILES
     /etc/syslog.conf       the configuration file
     /var/run/syslog.pid    the process id
     /dev/daemonlog         Name of the named pipe
     /dev/log               The kernel log device

SEE ALSO
     syslog(3).